Hong Kong’s Cathay confirms suspension of junior pilot after failing breathalyzer test

Hong Kong’s national carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, has confirmed that it has suspended a junior pilot pending an investigation after he failed an alcohol breath test shortly before his scheduled departure from Sydney to the city, causing a significant delay to the flight.

The airline told the Washington Post on Thursday morning that it was investigating the second officer on flight CX110 who failed the test in Sydney on Tuesday. It stressed that safety was its “top priority” and that there was zero tolerance for employees who did not follow alcohol policies.

“Cathay Pacific is aware of the reports and we are in close contact with the relevant authorities. The second officer involved has been suspended from flight duty with immediate effect until a full investigation is completed,” a Cathay spokesperson told the Post.

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“Safety is our top priority and we have a zero tolerance approach to non-compliance with our Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Policy. This policy sets out the company’s standards and guidelines for dealing with problematic use of alcohol or other drugs.”

The Post first reported on the suspension of the young pilot on Wednesday.

The spokesman said anyone found to have violated the company’s alcohol and drug policies would be terminated without notice in accordance with long-standing procedures.

He reiterated that all Cathay pilots are well aware of this policy and that they undergo initial training upon joining the airline and annual refresher courses and examinations.

“We are conducting random AOD testing at our pilots in Hong Kong in line with industry best practices and further random testing is being carried out at our outports by the relevant authorities,” he said.

“Affected customers have been rebooked on alternative flights from Sydney as quickly as possible and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience.”

Some crew members of flight CX110 had to undergo a breathalyzer test in Sydney at the request of the Australian authorities. The second officer failed the breathalyzer test, which led to his immediate suspension and a delay of the flight.

An insider said pilots typically follow the “10-hour bottle-to-throttle rule” by not drinking anything for 10 hours before reporting for flight duty.

The Airbus A350-941 was scheduled to depart at 7:35 a.m. Sydney time on Tuesday and arrive in Hong Kong at 3:05 p.m., the source said.

Instead, the flight left Sydney at 10:51 a.m. on Thursday and was scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong at 6:22 p.m.

The source said the airline was upset by the incident, which resulted in financial losses, and Cathay may be considering firing the junior pilot involved.

He added that the junior pilot, who served as second officer, would join the airline in 2022.

According to Cathay’s operating manual, which was obtained by The Post, employees in safety-critical functions are considered to have failed a breathalyzer test if 100 ml of breath contains at least 9 micrograms of alcohol, which corresponds to a blood alcohol content of 0.02 percent.

The regulation is stricter than the alcohol limit in Hong Kong, which is 22 micrograms/100 milliliters of breath or 0.05 percent blood alcohol content.

The manual states that crew members should not report for duty while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

They should also refrain from consuming alcohol 10 hours before starting work.

Consuming two standard drinks can result in a breath alcohol concentration close to the legal limit, according to Hong Kong police.

A standard drink is equivalent to 250 ml (8.4 fluid ounces) of beer, 100 ml of table wine or 30 ml of whisky.

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